Wellbutrin and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Mr ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 8, 2022

For Depression "Started Wellbutrin XL 6 weeks ago after having depression and constant anxiety and bad side effects on SSRIs. The first 2 weeks I didn’t notice much or have any side effects. Week 3 my anxiety was the worst I ever experienced, and at points, I felt like I was having a heart attack. This side effect subsided after a week and left me feeling better than ever. No depression whatsoever, and my anxiety is at a normal and manageable level. I feel normal for the first time in years, this medication saved my life. It takes time to have a full effect, so be patient."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 26, 2021

For Depression "Made my anxiety way worse. I was argumentative and mean. Very emotional all of the time and made my PMS symptoms worse."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 3, 2021

For Depression "Best antidepressant I've ever taken, and the only one that balances out my brain chemicals while allowing me to feel like myself. I wasn't serious about taking it pre-COVID, but after the pandemic, I became very depressed. I went to my doctor who put me back on Wellbutrin, and within the first hour of taking it, it felt like a light switched on in my brain. I scoffed down my food, went home and cleaned up, submitted my job applications, and fell asleep early. The next three months with it were magical. But let me tell you, medication is NOT the only way to solve your problems. I began to relapse after 4 months because I had a lot going on. You have to make life changes. I finally did and got off of them, but I lost motivation in my interests. Just got back on them yesterday, and I feel a difference, although not as drastic as when I took it after the pandemic. I might want to increase the dosage. This drug may also increase anxiety."

• Wel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 2, 2021

"My husband went to our doctor for anxiety, and the doctor told us that my 35-year-old husband was bipolar and put him on Wellbutrin XL. After 6 days, he was being another person! Raging, paranoid, delusional, not the man I married and share a child with. We called the doctor and complained of the side effects, including the scary delusions he was having, and I reminded the doctor of my husband's family history of suicide. The doctor said that the Wellbutrin XL protocol was to double the dosage, and he would see us again in 12 days! The next day, my husband shot himself on our couch!!! My first cousin, raised as sisters, was committed against her will for suicidal thoughts while on Wellbutrin XL!! PLEASE BE SAFE!! IF YOU HAVE ANY ODD SYMPTOMS, STOP TAKING AND GO TO THE ER!"

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 22, 2021

For Major Depressive Disorder "Currently on this medication, 150 mg daily. I expected the side effects to be bad after reading some reviews here, and they were, lol. Thought so many people said it would calm down after the first month, but it's been longer than that. Usually for me, the nausea is the worst thing. I never want to eat anything, food just disgusts me most of the time now. I felt like it was really helping the depression a few weeks ago, but now I am more suicidal than ever. Also, my anxiety is horrible. Many days, I don't want to leave the house. I used to be agoraphobic about 10 or so years ago (in my teens), and now I feel myself heading that direction again. It also has really affected my sleep, or at least that's what I'm assuming. I have been having a very hard time getting to sleep, and then if I wake up from something, it's even harder to fall back asleep. It just sucks. The only plus is that it doesn't increase my appetite. Hope this helps."

• Kat...
• August 20, 2021

For Depression "150 mg XR. I have low dopamine, so I thought this would be awesome for my ADHD. Wrong! The first week was AWESOME. I felt more awake, motivated, and less hungry. Cool, right? Week 2, I started getting a little irritable... maybe because I couldn’t freaking sleep! I've never had sleep issues EVER until this. By week 3, I was extremely manic. Horribly paranoid. I had racing thoughts that wouldn’t stop. I am going through a divorce, so you can imagine all I wanted to do was GO INSANE because of my hatred for this man. It was not manageable on this medication. I was so thirsty, my head felt like a balloon, extremely confused and forgetful, most awake I've ever felt, couldn’t breathe right, constipated. Went to the ER... they didn’t do ANYTHING. The medical field is an absolute joke. Also, I was BREASTFEEDING… I was told it would not affect my baby. Ha!!! As soon as I stopped the meds, she stopped crying, started sleeping again, and regular poops again."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 11, 2021

For Depression "I suffer from low mood and anxiety. I had read about Wellbutrin in the past, but only recently my doctor recommended it. I'm quite fit, exercise, eat well, get as much sleep as I can, as I believe they are the three pillars to manage your physical and mental status. This Wellbutrin seems to be a magic pill. Day 1. Motivation increased immediately, and WANTED to do physical work at my parents' place. After that, I had terrible anxiety and depression for the rest of the day and was fatigued. Day 2. (Today) Totally motivated, fully social, no anxiety, I feel myself, getting numerous things done, but all in a controlled way. I'm 46 and have my libido back big time. I'm actually shocked. My doc said to take 1 tablet as soon as I wake up (150 mg SR) for 3 days, then switch to 2 tablets from day 4. I know this is ridiculously early to write on here, but give this med a go! (Insomnia only drawback)"

• Sun...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 8, 2021

For Depression "I have found Wellbutrin to be the best for me. I've tried Zoloft, Lexapro, Cymbalta, Adderall, Vyvanse, Prozac, and Strattera. These others made me too agitated or too zombie-like. No dry mouth, no jaw clenching, no yawning, no RLS, no anxiousness, no headaches with Wellbutrin/Bupropion. Feel uplifted, more my old self, laugh and love easier, and anxiety a bit better. Less achy too! My long-term memory has even improved. I don't mind the vivid dreams, kind of fun. I do have some side effects which make me wish and plead for a lower dosage to be available. I'm taking 150 XL here in the USA. I really wish they'd make a 75 XL for sensitive types like me. I often get into a hyperfocus mode with this dosage of Wellbutrin. I can get a ton of reading done, internet research, etc., but then procrastinate things of higher priority. Please, manufacturers, please offer 75 XL as well. I think you'd be helping a ton of people."

• Pau...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 23, 2021

For Depression "I'm taking this medication with Lexapro, however, I take Wellbutrin XL for ADHD and depression. It does cause some anxiety, but nothing serious that would make me stop it. I'm going to leave another review in the near future because I just started it a week ago."

• Eva...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2021

For Depression "I had to stop Prozac, which worked very well on me, but unfortunately started causing neutropenia and related skin problems. The doctor recommended Wellbutrin 75 mg for a week then to increase to 150 mg. Straight after the first dose, I developed hand twitching/tremors and felt, in general, very jittery. I could never increase it to 150 mg. I felt weird, one minute hyper, the next minute tired. Did not sleep or feel very well. I’ve been on it for 4 weeks and am really struggling. Prozac worked very well on me, Wellbutrin affects dopamine and noradrenaline, so completely different neurotransmitters than Prozac. I am starting now Vortioxetine, which is a newer generation SSRI with less side effects, etc. Hoping for better days."

• Nat...
• June 6, 2021

For Depression "Just starting this med. The first couple days, I didn’t think it was doing much, but I noticed I couldn’t sleep for very long. I wasn’t as hopelessly sad as I had been the week prior, but I was experiencing an array of stomach-related side effects (constipated until I was very much no longer constipated, bloating, stomach aches, and VERY nauseous the first night). Fast forward a few days, I still can’t sleep very much. I’m artificially active is the best way to describe it. I’ve been pretty inactive throughout the pandemic, but I walked to get iced coffee in 90-degree heat, cleaned my apartment, had people over, then went to the gym later because I was so jittery and couldn’t sit still. It also has given me quite a bit of anxiety and some irritability alongside the constant need to be active. I hope that over the next few days, the anxious thoughts, stomach issues, and insomnia calm down."

• Cla...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 1, 2021

For Depression "I’m that patient that smokes, you know what... My doctor knows. This time around, being 20 now and taking this pill again, I’m on day 4 or 5, and my appetite is absolutely gone, even when elevated. But I think I’m feeling more balanced out overall, but when I have my anxiety moments, they are very intense. Too soon to tell if I could recommend it, but it has interacted fine with Mary J the past 4-ish days:"

• dpr...
• April 21, 2021

For Major Depressive Disorder "I’ve suffered from pretty severe major depressive disorder and anxiety since I can remember, diagnosed since I was 18 (now 25). Tried Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor, Lexapro, and none really helped me escape the deep hurt I felt 24/7. About 16 months ago, I started taking this drug, building up to 300 mg XL over a 2-week time span. That was a pretty horrific time if I’m being honest - manic, crawling out of my own skin, couldn’t sleep at all. But then my doctor added 100 mg of Seroquel at night for my sleep. Over the next 3 months, I felt myself lift out of the darkness a little. She also added an anti-anxiety (Klonopin). Wellbutrin didn’t solve my depression, but it definitely did help save my life. If you’re just trying it out for the first time, try to get past the bad side effects in the beginning if you can. It’s been worth it for me anyways. Long-term side effects have been anxiety, reduced appetite, memory loss, restlessness, nausea, and some confusion/disorientation."

• Anonymous
• March 30, 2021

For Depression "Saved my life and marriage after I had severe PPD and PPA. I would still have some bad anxiety every once in a while but overall totally worth it. I also found that Benadryl really helps if you have anxiety with this at night. I was able to gain the confidence to start my own business and actually believe for the first time in my life I could truly accomplish something. I pray this med helps others like it’s helped me."

• Jes...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 5, 2021

For Depression "Started Wellbutrin in June of 2020. At first, I was skeptical because I had tried Zoloft and Cipralex before it, and they both didn't work. But Wellbutrin has done wonders for my confidence and happiness. The first few weeks were pretty rough, but then I started to feel better. I can honestly say that it has saved my life. Only side effects for me are teeth clenching at night, some ear ringing, and sometimes I feel more anxious at times. But it is truly amazing for my depression."

• Car...
• February 28, 2021

"I only took this for three days because it increased my anxiety greatly and did not help with the jaw clenching I’ve been experiencing. It also made me incredibly and irrationally angry about everything, and I felt like I was crawling out of my skin. This was only on 50 mg, which is half the starting dose."

• Els...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 22, 2021

For Depression "I was given Wellbutrin after a sad event happened in my life that put me into a depression. It is now two weeks into it, and I decided to stop it today. My experience on this drug was great the first 2-3 days, but now it gave me anxiety. I only experienced 1 anxiety attack many years ago. Here is what I experienced: my tongue felt like it was swollen. One night, I felt I couldn't swallow, and that created anxiety. One of my legs often twitches, I realized I was sometimes stuttering when trying to form words, sounds were increased, and I also had a constant metallic taste in my mouth. It altered the taste of everything, and I used to love eating, even gums I chewed. When walking, I felt like I was floating, brain fog, lack of energy. I took this medication with another one, Concerta, for ADD. I am not sure if it is a good mix and will verify with my doctor. For now, I have decided to get off it. The feeling of not being able to swallow is horrific."

• Els...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 22, 2021

For Depression "I was given Wellbutrin after a sad event happened in my life that put me into a depression. It is now two weeks into it, and I decided to stop it today. My experience on this drug was great the first 2-3 days, but now it gave me anxiety. I only experienced 1 anxiety attack many years ago. Here is what I experienced: my tongue felt like it was swollen. One night, I felt I couldn't swallow, and that created anxiety. One of my legs often twitches, I realized I was sometimes stuttering when trying to form words, sounds were increased, and I also had a constant metallic taste in my mouth. It altered the taste of everything, and I used to love eating, even gums I chewed. When walking, I felt like I was floating, brain fog, lack of energy. I took this medication with another one, Concerta, for ADD. I am not sure if it is a good mix and will verify with my doctor. For now, I have decided to get off it. The feeling of not being able to swallow is horrific."

• Per...
• February 18, 2021

For Depression "I have mostly managed my depression/SADD/PTSD for years with exercise, light box, and talk therapy. My doctor and I recently agreed the lowest dose, 100 mg, of Wellbutrin would help me out of a particularly low winter. I tried 150 mg years ago for a few months. The jittery side effects made me look forward to getting off it then. However, now I have no side effects, sleep great, my focus on work is back, and find it easier to do my usual lifestyle routine to address my depression. I appreciate having Wellbutrin as a tool to use when I really need it. One caveat, I do find that if I have more than 2 drinks, the following days I get pretty down. Also, exercise + Wellbutrin = self-esteem × libido, just sayin."

• Jra...
• January 27, 2021

For Depression "I was clinically diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and an adjustment disorder in the middle of last year. Now that I started school again at 37, the stress of everything and finding out that I may possibly have ADD or ADHD makes everything so much better. I was initially put on Wellbutrin 150 mg a day alongside my 15 mg of Lexapro. My Wellbutrin was bumped up to 300 mg to help me quit dipping. For a while, things were finally going well. I didn’t touch a can of dip for about two months. Then the realization of everything kicked in. Between working full time, going to school for biomedical equipment technology full time, and a girlfriend who drives me crazy sometimes, my anxiety, stress, and everything else have gone through the roof. I am now on 450 mg of Wellbutrin and still alongside my 15 mg of Lexapro. Hopefully, this helps."

• Jra...
• January 27, 2021

For Depression "I was clinically diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and an adjustment disorder in the middle of last year. Now that I started school again at 37, the stress of everything and finding out that I may possibly have ADD or ADHD makes everything so much better. I was initially put on Wellbutrin 150 mg a day alongside my 15 mg of Lexapro. My Wellbutrin was bumped up to 300 mg to help me quit dipping. For a while, things were finally going well. I didn’t touch a can of dip for about two months. Then the realization of everything kicked in. Between working full time, going to school for biomedical equipment technology full time, and a girlfriend who drives me crazy sometimes, my anxiety, stress, and everything else have gone through the roof. I am now on 450 mg of Wellbutrin and still alongside my 15 mg of Lexapro. Hopefully, this helps."

• JDa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 8, 2021

For Major Depressive Disorder "I am an (older) teenage girl who has struggled with mental illness my whole life, and I’ve been on many medications, and my least favorite is Wellbutrin. It caused my anxiety to worsen, made me constantly dizzy and shaky. I would lose control of my eyes, and they would roll into my head several times every hour, and it actually made my eyesight worse (sounds unlikely, but it’s true). I wouldn’t recommend this drug to anyone."

• Jos...
• January 3, 2021

For Depression "It is amazing to see the variability in how people respond to Wellbutrin! However, this is common for most psychotropic medications. I started taking it to see if it would help with my Seasonal Affective Disorder and fibromyalgia. I started to feel more energetic, creative, and almost stoned within the first week. I felt so much better I decided to leave my 23-year marriage because I felt like I now had the energy to break free and find a more positive relationship. However, after two and a half months on Wellbutrin, only at 100 mg, I started to feel edgy, anxious, and 'not myself.' I was feeling like I was losing myself, and it was starting to be quite scary! After two days off of the med, now I am feeling like myself again. When we take meds like this, we really need to monitor whether we are doing better or worse overall. Whatever you do, make sure you are doing psychotherapy at the same time. Whatever you do, don't give up on yourself!"

• Anonymous
• November 4, 2020

For Depression "I had Wellbutrin for depression, it did help me extremely with my mood. It did cause me to become more forgetful and kind of empty-headed, but I felt alive again. It made me lose weight and stop with food obsessions. It did increase anxiety, but I weighed the pros and cons and was on it for a while because while the pros were weight loss and a better mood, the cons being forgetful and anxious weren't worth it. So I will be trying Prozac now. I was on 150 mg SR 2x a day."

• And...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 31, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "Give this medication a fighting chance! I almost quit a month in, but I am SO glad I didn’t and toughed out the negative side effects. When I started, I felt dazed and sedated but wired and jittery at the same time. My insomnia was horrible. Other side effects I experienced included tinnitus, horrible anxiety, hand tremors, heart palpitations, and a really short temper. I desired nothing, but had the energy to do everything - weird combo. OKAY, now for the GOOD, and things I think people should know before giving up this medication - the side effects last a LONG time (two and a half months for me) but they DO all go away. I was now able to get up early to work out, got into cooking, lost weight, and felt hopeful about life. Sex also got WAY better now that I could stop living in my head, which was a huge plus. For the first time in a long time, I can really say I feel happy. So give it time!"